Black Powder for The Italian Wars

Again, using Black Powder as a base, one of our members has comeup with the following amendments to allow Black Powder to be used for the Italian Wars, with big units.

What we must realise is that these are still in the process of being tested and thus are not final versions but please feel free to give them a go.

The Great Italian Wars

Command dice

Exceed command on 2D6 and movement is restricted to 50% of standard move

A roll equal to or one below the command entitles the unit(s) to move 100% of standard move

A roll of 2 or more under the command entitles the unit to(s) to move 150% of standard move

Once within 12 “ of enemy all moves are subject to initiative no die rolls and all moves are 100% of standard

No interpenetration is allowed through a pike block, units will flow around a pike block. If that is impossible the unit will become disordered and will make its way to the rear of the pike block in a state of disarray, and will need to be rallied by a brigade commander

.

Orders may be given to brigades or individual units. Should a unit be asked to include any other movement than moving forward it must be given an individual order.

Units and Stamina	Tiny	Small	Standard	Large	Extra Large
	Less than 10	11 to 20	21 to 40	41 to 60	60+
Elite	3	4	5	6	7
Trained	2	3	4	5	6
Militia	1	2	3	4	5

COMMAND MODIFIERS
Per 8” distance from commander to unit	-1
Enemy unit within 8” of unit receiving order	-1
Column, limbered artillery	+1
Column, limbered artillery on road or track	+2

Movement	Elite	Trained	Militia
Pike block	8”	7”	6”
Skirmishers	10”	9”	8”
Gendarmes	15”	14”
Light Cavalry	18”	17”	16”
Commanders on foot	12”
Commanders mounted	18”

SHOOTING
Ranges
X-bow				8”
Arquebus				8”
Light artillery				24”/12”/6””
Heavy Artillery				36”/18”/9”
Shooting to hit modifiers
Artillery shooting at column or square					+1
Close range (4”), closing fire, skirmishers					+1
Shooters Shaken or Disordered					-1
Target skirmishers, deployed artillery or Not Clear					-1
Artillery at over half range					-1
Cannon shooting overhead					-1
Size modifiers
Extra Large Unit	+2 dice shooting		+3 combat
Large Unit	+1 dice shooting		+2 combat
Small Unit	-1 dice shooting		-2 combat
Tiny Unit	1 dice only shooting		1 dice only combat
Tactical modifiers
Enfilading infantry		Shoot X2 dice
Enfilading artillery		Shoot X2 dice

MORALE
Save modifiers
Infantry in column unless hit by artillery	+1
Target within woods, hedgerows or similar (light cover)	+1
Target within buildings/fortifications (heavy cover)	+2
Hit by artillery fire at long range	-1
Hit by artillery at medium or close range	-2
Target in melee with mounted includes pikes	+1

MELEE
Combat to hit modifiers
Charging	+1
Won last round of combat	+1
Pike advantage (First round of melee)	+1
Shaken or disordered	-1
Skirmishers	-1
Engaged to flank or rear	-1
Combat result modifiers
Threat to exposed flank	-1
Threat to exposed rear	-2
Pike block vs. cavalry	+3
Occupying buildings	+2

Period Rules

All guns are laid and may not be moved once the combat commences

Pike block are always in column, they may not move 90 degrees to left or right, but may wheel at a cost of 50% of movement

All other troops are always in line

Swiss have no Brigade commander each pike block, and its skirmishers is autonomous

Move Modifiers

Woods Skirmishers only and at 50% of normal rate

Rough Ground Skirmishers 100%, all others at 50%

Crossing and obstacle 50% penalty

Entering a building 50% penalty

UNIT STATS

Unit	Type		Melee	Shooting	Morale	Special
French Gendarmes	Elite	Lance	7	0	3+	Rash Pike advantage Elite Lance Brave Determined charge
French Archers	Trained	Lance	6	0	4+	Lance
French X-bow	Trained	X-bow	2	3	4+
French Pike	Militia	Pike	6	0	5+	Pike advantage Lance
Venetian Gendarmes	Trained	Lance	6	0	4+	Lance
Venetian Arquebus	Militia	Arquebus	1	2	5+
Venetian Pike	Militia	Pike	6	0	5+	Lance
Swiss pike	Elite	Pike	7	0	3+	Rash Hatred Elite Lance Brave Determined Charge
Swiss Arquebus	Trained	Arquebus	2	3	4+
Black Band Arquebus	Elite	Arquebus	2	3	3+	Elite Brave
Mtd Black Band Arquebus	Trained	Arquebus	1	2	4+
Spanish Genetes	Trained	Javelin	3	0	4+	Marauders
Stradiots	Trained	Javelin	3	0	4+	Marauders
Milanese Gendarmes	Trained	Lance	6	0	4+	Lance
Milanese X-bow	Militia	X-bow	1	2	5+
Spanish Arquebus	Elite	Arquebus	2	3	3+	Elite Reliable Brave Steady
Spanish Pike	Elite	Pike	7	0	3+	Pike advantage Elite Lance Reliable Brave Steady
Landsknecht Arquebus	Trained	Arquebus	1	3	4+
Landsknecht Pike	Trained	Pike	6	0	4+	Hatred Pike advantage Lance
Spanish Gendarmes	Trained	Lance	6	0	4+	Lance
Imperial Gendarmes	Trained	Lance	6	0	4+	Lance

Rash	If the unit wins a melee only a throw of 5 or 6 on a D6 will prevent them from automatically going on a sweeping advance
Hatred	When engagement between Swiss and Landsknecht neither side will give way therefore no side will break from a melee until it has lost 3 consecutive rounds
Pike advantage	Cannot be attacked by horse if in good order to front
Elite	At start of command if disordered roll D6 and remove if 4+
Lance	On Charge -1 morale against cavalry and -2 against infantry
Reliable	+1 Command
Brave	Shaken units rally on 4+ if more than 12 “ from enemy
Steady	Pass first break test automatically
Determined charge	Must charge where able to do so
Marauders	Ignore distance modifier for command

Biocca specifics

The earthworks represent a major obstacle and the attacking troops when they reach the sunken road and the earthworks must roll a D10 to see if they can succeed in crossing both obstacles.

On a roll of a D10 on a roll of 1 or 2 the assailants will have breached the obstacle and will be at the top of the earthworks

If not they are to remain at the base of the sunken road

Whilst at the base of the earthworks the artillery may fire at them at point blank range as the earthworks were configured to allow the sunken road to be enfiladed